Saturday, November 5, 2011

GAZA, Palestine – Two aid ships, aimed to reach Gaza, were seized, boarded and led to a port in southern Israel by Israeli navy, military sources have confirmed.

According Israeli military sources; the ultimate action against the vessels was taken after repetitive calls for them to turn around were ignored; but nobody was injured during the brief operation.

The vessels were then towed to Ashdod port just north of Gaza after Israeli navy took the control followed their action just before the ships tried to break the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

A short footage has been released by the Israeli military, apparently showing a naval vessel spraying water on a large white boat and Israeli officers boarding another.

The two small boats were carrying 27 activists and aid supplies for the Palestinians in Gaza.

Once the vessels reach the port of Ashdod, the activists have been detained and asked to leave the country voluntarily from the airport near Tel Aviv. If they refuse, they can have access to a lawyer to appeal being sent home.